This article deals the occasional tendency of larger (and thinner) BGA components to warp during rework. The type of warping addressed here can cause bridging and shorts at the outer corners of the device during replacement. This problem can require more rework at the BGA site, surely no fun at all. It's generally understood that some minor distortion occurs in BGA components and circuit boards when heated, due to the ...Feature Story

We often need to strip solder splash contamination off gold edge contacts and replate them. Is this considered a repair or a rework? Are there clear definitions for the terms repair and rework ...Ask the Experts

All too often, valuable circuit boards are scrapped due to base material damage. Actually, boards with base material damage can be reliably repaired. Now that large circuit boards can exceed 30-inch dimensions, up to a half-inch thick, weigh 30 to 50 pounds, and be worth up to $20,000 to $30,000 - the importance of knowing how to repair base material damage, rather than scrapping the board, may indeed make a significant impact on a company's bottom line ...Feature Story

Homes, offices, retail stores, schools, hospitals, and factories are shaped by the needs of the occupants as well as the materials and construction methods available to build them. At the same time, these buildings shape the way we live and work, in and around them. Whether we're talking about the tents occupied by herdsmen in the Middle East, mud brick huts occupied by South Asian farmers, or office towers occupied by ...Technology Briefing